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I can’t say I’m surprised to one, see Jaime Herrera Beutler (R Wa 03) support the largest debt increase in the history of the nation, two express frustration over the deal she voted for and three, justify selling out constituents.

No one else should be surprised either. This is a pattern seen during her brief tenure occupying a seat as 18th legislative district representative. After all, she didn’t bat an eyelid when she crossed the aisle to help Democrats strip the last $229 Million of the states Rainy Day Fund last year.

She justified that boner as to prevent a tax increase too, just as she did in voting for this sell-out debt limit increase.

She didn’t even bother to check out a bill she co-sponsored and twice voted for that would have forced childcare centers into the unions. That one she justified by claiming it would do such thing and having her then campaign manager, Casey Bowman issue a press release stating that I and any others exposing her record were “spreading false information.”

We would like to inform you that the Clark County Republican Party has decided to take a different platform. Instead of concentrating on our money and guns we have decided that for a better society we need to dismantle the state, redistribute the nation’s wealth, and work communally under a syndicalist system. If you would like to contribute to the NEW Clark County Republican Party please donate all your money to your local Infoshop. Thank you for your time and continued efforts with the NEW Clark County Republican Party. Animal liberation, end vivisection!!

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If you receive such an email, rest assured it did not originate from them. Someone either thinks they are playing a joke or just being assholes.

Party chair Brandon Vick is aware of this and has members working on it. A change in password is where I would start.

Such tactics as this do nothing to bring civility to the table or advance anyone.

As we know, Kirby Wilbur replaced Luke Esser as chair of the Washington State Republican Party this weekend. While Esser did accomplish some equitable changes for the WSRP, the voters just never got behind Republican candidates as they should have, given their log time support of conservative issues on the ballots. Focusing on this, former radio talk show host Kirby Wilbur won the chair, giving hope to Washingtonians that now maybe people will feel included and not shut out by the Bellevue Mafia that has held a stranglehold on the party for so long.

I hope Kirby watches his back.

With that, thanks to Washington State Wire, here is Kirby Wilbur’s full speech given Saturday in Tukwila:

David Castillo, subjected to dirty tactics, lies and smears from 4 County GOP’s in Southwest Washington may have been defeated in the primary, but he continues to speak out, countering ads recently released by his former adversary, Denny Heck from the Democratic Party.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Heck has released an ad playing to his base that I am sure will resonate well with them. While the establishment candidate sits around waiting for talking points to be provided, Castillo has posted on his new blog why Heck is wrong.

Castillo wrote in part,

“The other night I had the opportunity to see my first general election ad broadcast in the 3rd Congressional District. The ad was put out by Democrat Denny Heck. Notwithstanding the odd timing of the ad (the last week in August), I was struck by the complete lack of any true understanding of the problems confronting the people of the 3rd Congressional District.”

“Heck’s ad (available here) was striking in its tone deafness. I was stunned that his first ad for the general election, the one that will presumably introduce him to voters, focused on Wall Street reform! Wall Street reform! Seriously, is there anyone in the country, outside of the progressive enclaves of Berkley, CA, or downtown Seattle, discussing Wall Street reform around the kitchen table? I highly doubt that. Especially when we are living in a country that has nearly 10% unemployment, and a district where unemployment is 12%. We are living in a country that has $14 trillion in debt. A country that, in 10 years, will spend more on debt service than China does on its defense budget. And, Denny Heck is focused on Wall Street reform.”

Throughout the campaign, David Castillo has maintained the race was never about him, but about correcting what has gone wrong and is hurting Southwest Washington. He never wavered in that and this post countering Heck’s ad is further proof.

After ensuring he was stunningly defeated by several dirty tactics, some from within GOP boards, only Castillo is speaking in opposition to Denny Heck’s campaign. The establishment candidate and doughboy are sitting in silence, ready to throw away an early 14 point lead in the polls.

The GOP’s that promoted the establishment candidate and engaged in the dirty tactics to ensure Castillo’s defeat also remain quiet, after releasing their own ad that was little more than handing the Democrats an effective FEC complaint on a silver platter.

Castillo could have easily and justifiably gone back to work and just got on with his life. Who could blame him after the ill treatment he received at the hands of the leaders of the party he sought to represent?

But, he chooses to remain engaged and counter the Democrats, even if it means electing the ditz that would not even acknowledge he was a good guy on a recent Victoria Taft interview when asked.

It will not do any good to write in Castillo’s name, other than to make your self feel better. FEC rules prevent his name being written in from being counted.

We are stuck with who we are stuck with to choose from, Tweedle Dem or Tweedle Dumb.

But, as far as I am concerned, there are at least 4 County GOP chairs that owe David Castillo a very public apology for their ill treatment as well as several Board Members from the Clark County GOP who knowingly engaged in such underhanded tactics against him.

David knows he was screwed over by these counties and the tactics initiated by supporters of two of his opponents.

And still, he remains the only one actually standing up to counter this misleading ad by Denny Heck.

Castillo not only shows he would have been the better choice. He shows he is also the better man.

Hang your heads in shame, Republicans. If this election is lost to the Democrats again, you have only your selves to blame.

“part of the candidate vetting process,” each will be charged approximately $75.00 for an outside vendor to probe each candidate. Esser says the probe is to “determine if legal proceedings have been undertaken against a candidate, ranging from speeding tickets to serious felonies on the criminal side, and ranging from liens and collection actions to bankruptcy filings on the civil side.”

He continues,

“WSRP staff will oversee the conduct of a Background Check of criminal and credit related issues, to be performed by a third-party vendor that will include the review of multiple criminal and civil court databases for records related to the candidate in question.”

Esser justifies the background checks as, “The main desire is that the state party not be surprised. We will examine what any citizen could find in court records.”

“Every Republican candidate should understand that the Democrats already know your negatives or will soon find them out. Sooner or later, the Democrats will use your negatives against you. Republican candidates who think they can keep their negatives secret are dead wrong.”

From where I sit, it seems the quest for “pure” candidates continues.

Naturally, there are some things that must be known and ferreted out, such as felony convictions, dishonorable discharges and major infractions of the law. But, just how deep will these probes go and what will be used to deny otherwise good conservatives a run for office, while young establishment moderates who will lose elections are favored?

What all questions will be on the questionnaire sent to prospective candidates is unknown to me since I am not privy to such information, unless I am able to obtain a copy.

How far back such a probe will extend is also unknown. According to Esser,

“Results of the completed Candidate Questionnaires and Background Checks will be reviewed by the executive board at a meeting to be convened by the chairman. The executive board will determine if any information reviewed during their evaluation of these materials is serious enough to warrant bringing it to the attention of the entire state committee.”

I am reminded of how the revelation of the now 17 year old DUI of Mike McGavick from another state hurt his chance of winning against Maria Cantwell in 2006.
I am also reminded of recent revelations of Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal exaggerating claims of his Military service that were revealed by those who had heard his ever increasing claims of bravado over the years. A background check did not reveal any of this as access to a Veterans Military record is restricted to only those the Veteran signs a SF 180 to grant access.

While I can see the concern over supporting the absolute best candidates possible, such a background check would not reveal whether or not a candidate that is a legislator had others voting in their place nor would it reveal their support for causes and bills that are contrary to conservative values.

Such things rarely sink a Democrat candidate, as evidenced by Blumenthal’s resurgence in the polls in Connecticut, not to mention the country embracing scandal ridden former president Bill Clinton, who although impeached by the House served out his full term.

Then again, Democrats, unlike Republicans, do not seek to oust party members accused of infractions.

Much like I saw Clark County GOP’s sealed vote for selecting the top candidate for the 18th Legislative District race, should the Democrats run a second candidate, being fear driven when the GOP should be in a strong position to win elections this cycle, I’m afraid this move by the state party is also driven by fear.

I don’t know if any candidate will refuse out of privacy concerns or not. Nor do I know if the party would deny support of a good candidate if the background check were refused. As Luke Esser said,

“That’s all yet to be determined. It’s our first trip down this road.”

Maybe if the party wasn’t striving to be so pure, this wouldn’t even be necessary. After all, there have only been two perfect humans ever created. One of them fell from grace and the other was killed on a cross.

In closing I’d like to remind the party of the words of Saul Alinksy from his now famous Rules for Radicals, specifically Rule 4:Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. “You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.”

Ryan Hart, Chair of the Clark County Republican Party invites the public to a Mayoral Candidates Forum, July 28, 2009 to be held at the Clark Public Utilities office, 1220 Fort Vancouver Way, at 7 PM.

The forum will feature the three Vancouver Mayors candidates, incumbent Mayor Royce Pollard, Council Member Tim Leavitt and candidate Charlie Stemper.

The Vancouver Mayors position is a non-partisan position. Ryan Hart says, “There is a great amount of interest in the Vancouver mayoral race this year.”

Given the condition of the economy, proposed I-5 Bridge replacement, Light Rail and a proposed city budget deficit, Hart is correct as the next Mayor will have a formidable task as he maneuvers through the options available.

All three candidates have their supporters in the Republican Party, but the party is not planning on endorsing any.

Party members will submit a series of questions to the 3 candidates and each will be given time to reply.

The forum is open to the General Public and all are invited.

Now is your chance to have all 3 candidates seated together and see where they stand on issues of importance to Vancouver and to you.

Mark your calendars and please make every effort to attend.

Again, it will be held at the Clark Public Utilities office, 1220 Fort Vancouver Way at 7 PM.